


Latum Alterum

by neravakiin



Category: Original Work
Genre: Canon LGBTQ Character, Childhood Trauma, F/F, Fantasy, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Magical Realism, Mental Health Issues, Other, Strong Female Characters, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2019-10-14 06:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17502974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neravakiin/pseuds/neravakiin
Summary: Between unaccepting stepmothers, hellish siblings and underlying depression, Averi Delacroix genuinely cannot keep going on. Her heart pounds as she climbs onto the railing of the bridge, her arms stinging from the fresh self-inflicted wounds for every move she makes. The wind tousles her hair and dries the tears still streaming down her face. She can't think. She can only move and watch the sky go further away as she falls backward. She closes her tear-stained eyes and embraces the oncoming pain. And she does feel it, but only for a second. But we're still very far from the end of the story.





	1. In The Beginning

   Averi stood on the side of the bridge, overlooking the water hundreds of feet below her. The wind stung her arm's thin but deep wounds and dried her tear-stained face. The full moon glowed in her radiance, granting at least a beautiful solace in the last few moments of Averi's life. Or so she thought. 

   She grabbed hold of the railing with both of her bloodied arms, every movement sending pain through her torso. She kept going though, despite the unignorable stinging. She pulled herself up so she was facing the road on the bridge, the moon behind her. She took a deep breath, let a few tears fall, and fell backward into the air. Her head began to throb, threatening her consciousness. Her ears began to ring so loudly that she couldn't hear herself think. 

   " _No, wait! This isn't what I really wanted? What have I done??"_ was the last thought that ran through her head before she hit... the ground? 

   Averi was knocked out solid for about an hour before she could regain consciousness once more. Around her, she felt strangely soft grass. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw the night sky above her, the moon still shining so brightly. There were golden, glowing little creatures in the air that didn't look anything like the lightning bugs from home. She looked closer, and upon inspection, the little creatures looked like tiny humanoid figures.  __ _What in the actual hell?_ She thought and shook her head in an attempt to clear her head.  _Fairies aren't real, this has to be some sort of lucid dream._

   She tried to push herself into a sitting position, but when she moved her arms sent a painful jolt through her body. But along with her arms, multiple ribs and her legs were either broken or damaged in some way. Her head still pounded, and the sudden shock from the ground did not help at all. Her vision was wavering, and her head slipping in and out of consciousness repeatedly. She laid back to ease the pain.  __She covered her eyes with her hand and grimaced. _God, I am so stupid! I can't even throw myself off a bridge right!_ Warm tears began to run down her face into the grass.  _Stupid._  

  Her thoughts were then interrupted by a loud rustling in foliage beside her.

  



	2. Stultus In Ruinam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things continue to go from bad to worse. But hey, at least nobody died!

After the rustling of bushes, a soft sound of feet against the ground could be heard. Averi clenched her teeth at the possibility of her death, despite her desperate yearning for it not too long ago. She closed her eyes and mentally prayed for whatever help she could get, and her last, weak cry for aid rang out among the skies.    


The footsteps came closer, and Averi opened her eyes to see who had come to deliver her death.     
  
 They were short and slim, most of their features blocked out by her tears and the effects of the concussion. They looked to be... a short, slim woman... with animal ears. Averi sighed.  _Are you fucking kidding me,_ she thought.  The woman made a curious noise. 

"Well well, what have we here?" the woman purred. Averi looked up at her.    
  
"If you're here to kill me, please just do it now," she said. The woman chuckled.    
  
"Oh come on, there's no way you'd be of use to me if you're dead. But, humor me if you will," she asked. "Are you human?" Averi looked up at her.    
  
"Is that a joke or are you serious...?"    
  
"Dead serious, darling."

Fatigue set in on Averi, and she begrudgingly accepted this otherworldy, ridiculous situation. 

"Okay. Yes, I'm human. Why does it matter?" she asked. 

"And you believe I would tell you why?" The other woman replied.

"Because I'm not too fucking keen on being told I'm useful and not knowing what you mean! For all I know, you could be a slave trader or some sort of twisted sadist."

"Well, you're close. But no cigar. Either way, you're coming with me. Now let's get this show on the road," the cat-woman said, taking off a pack slung on her back and beginning to root around in it. Averi's heart began beating hard and fast, adrenaline hitting her like a freight train. Her hands shook and became sweaty. Her heart pounded ferociously in her ears. She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and pushed herself up off of the ground. Pain shot through her back, arms, and ribs like a bolt of lightning. Nevertheless, she pushed forward, fighting against every single primal instinct in her body that was screaming at her to stop. 

And so she ran towards the lights in the distance, through the thick foliage that surrounded her. The cat-woman was taken by surprise, but quickly caught up to her and grabbed her arm from behind. Averi turned and swung a quick punch at her jaw, but missed and staggered. Her body was now buzzing with pain, sending rhythmic bursts of pain all throughout itself. The woman snickered and took her in a bear hug, a small syringe in hand. Averi shrunk down beneath the woman's chin and pushed herself upwards to headbutt her square in the jaw. The woman dropped the syringe and fell backward, eyes squeezed shut and mouth contorted in pain. 

Averi quickly regained her stance and sprinted towards the lights again, leaving the cat-woman behind her. She continued running, adrenaline still pumping hard through her veins. Running on towards the light, it took a minute to finally reach cleared land again. In front of her stood two tall stone walls parallel to one another. The gate between them was open, and inside that gate stood a fantasy-like city, filled with half-timbered buildings. Further on, a hill stood with a proud stone castle atop. Averi booked it inside, sparing a glance over her should as she ran inside.

The woman was about 250 feet back behind her, sprinting after her. Averi turned back to the city in front of her, making her way down and turning to the left. She weaved between the buildings, taking shelter next to a large marble building's pillar. She sat down and drew her knees up to her chest, making sure that she wasn't visible from the street. Pain set in once again, leaving her heaving and a few tears running down her cheek. Her heart was still beating in her ears, and she covered her mouth with the hand that still worked. She let out a quiet sob, trying her hardest to stay quiet.  _This is the worst possible time for this,_ Averi thought. 

Soon enough, footsteps came from the alleyway perpendicular to the one Averi had taken refuge in, and the person turned the corner. It was a girl, with a black stripe running down her bottom lip, arms clasping a book. Her head jerked to look at Averi, and the girl rushed over. 

"Gods, look at you! Here, hold onto me and I'll get you to a healer," she said, taking Averi's arm and slinging it over her neck and around her shoulders. Averi looked at her with a quick, weak smile. 

"Thank you so much, but you don't need to do this. I'll manage somehow," she said. The other girl scoffed.

"Of course I do, there's no way I could leave someone bleeding out into the street! From the looks of it, there's a slim chance of you being able to get back up on your own with your injuries," the girl said. "Stay with me, I don't want you dying on me so soon." Averi smiled weakly again.

"Thank you, I really appreciate this."

"No worries."

Supported by her newfound acquaintance, Averi was guided over to a lovely store with beautiful, exotic plants growing in the windowsill. The girl banged on the door. "You're lucky I happen to know a healer in this city," she said, hoisting Averi further up to avoid falling over. 

"EIR, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!" She yelled, continuing to bang on the door. Soon enough, a tall elf woman appeared at the door, rubbing her eyes. 

"What trouble did you get roped into this time, Skye?" she asked before she looked at the roughed up Averi that the girl held up. The elf Eir looked down at her, eyes widening a bit before she rushed to Averi's other side.  

"Oh shit, okay. Here, let me get her other side. Be gentle," Eir said, lifting up Averi's other side. The girls rushed inside and sat her down on one of the beds surrounded by maroon curtains. Averi clenched her teeth as she was hoisted onto the bed. It was comfortable, the pillow was so soft... A moment passed, and Averi was knocked out. Eir pursed her lips, and held a lavender-colored glowing hand over her body, and held it there for a few seconds before exhaling with relief. 

"She's going to be okay if we work fast enough. If you're gonna help, get me some Feverfew leaves and Horsetail. Now, let's get to work."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry that this chapter is so short, but it's just to get the ball rolling!


End file.
